Hydraulic jacks are well-known mechanical devices and are generally used to raise and lower various types of loads, typically automobiles, off the ground. However, hydraulic fluid, the medium for raising and lowering the ram, may, over a period of time, leak past internal seals and allow the load or burden to unintentionally descend. In some instances, seal failure may cause the load to descend spontaneously without warning presenting an unacceptable risk to anyone in proximity to the jack and load.
When using a typical jack to facilitate an automobile repair, it is common practice to eliminate the risk of spontaneous jack (ram) collapse by placing one or more safety stands under the elevated load and then lowering and removing the jack. This practice is problematic and inconvenient, especially with unibody vehicles, which typically have only a limited number of reinforced areas suitable for lifting the vehicle and supporting its weight. Thus, if the operator has used a jack on one of the provided lift points, there is generally limited space for placing a safety stand adjacent to the jack, and the operator must be judicious in selecting an area for the safety stand that will support the vehicle's weight because improper positioning introduces the possibility of damage to the vehicle's frame, or even more serious damage may result from the improvidently positioned safety stand punching through the floorboard allowing the vehicle to suddenly fall to the ground with possible injury to the operator.
There is a need for a device that functions both as a jack and as a safety stand, and the disclosed ratcheting, self-aligning load-support device functions in that manner and meets that need. It eliminates the use of a separate jack and safety stand and thereby saves time, effort and avoids possible damage to the vehicle and injury to anyone in the event of jack failure and collapse. Efforts have been made in the past to address the need of a jack and safety stand combination. The following patent documents are representative of efforts made in that regard.